


The Witching Hour

by Eggsyobsessed



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Future Fic, Happily Married Spies, Late at Night, M/M, old habits die hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:40:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24888502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eggsyobsessed/pseuds/Eggsyobsessed
Summary: Eggsy’s used to his husband awake late at night, and coding. The life of a quartermaster never stops, especially the one of Kingsman. And apparently the habit hasn’t died off after retirement and he finds Merlin up, coding for the new Merlin, at 2am.
Relationships: Merlin/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin
Comments: 20
Kudos: 64





	The Witching Hour

**Author's Note:**

> I needed a good, soft, comfortable fic for myself and future fic always makes me happy. I was talking to my good friend, limrx, about merwin domestic headcanons and what Merlin would be like if retired. Of course little has changed for the man. 
> 
> And this was sort of spawned because of that. I hope you all enjoy, I know I enjoyed writing it. 
> 
> This is not beta read.

Eggsy woke alone with a hand reached out to sweep along cool, unruffled sheets and knew exactly where his sleeping partner would be. He was long used to his husband up at night, coding among other things, a familiar pattern since they’d been married. After all the life of a Quartermaster was long, busy and filled with damn near all-nighters. It would be the usual humdrum nightly routine, except Merlin had retired two years ago, with the exception of his duties to guide Eggsy through missions.

Yet the newly retired Scot seemed to forget the new Merlin could more than handle coding, and whatever other pickle he found himself in. Sebastian was smart, capable, and one of the best next to Merlin, but Eggsy did little to remind his husband the agency could function without it’s beloved retired Merlin. He glared at the empty space, as if the heat from his stare could be felt in their home office, before he heaved out of bed to accomplish the reason for waking.

Middle age did little to forgive, and even more so as Eggsy aged as an agent. He was quick, cunning and skilled, but his body was still forty eight and some change if you took into consideration all the abuse he’s put it through. Regardless of the aches, cricks that didn’t seem to go away no matter how much muscle rub he used, Eggsy found it more troublesome his bladder had to go and betray him.

Two in the morning, like goddamn clockwork, Eggsy had to piss; it was like the fucking witching hour. Sure, he could go without the glass of water on his bedside, but then he’d wake with some retched morning breath from dry mouth. Which was less than desirable for sweet, soft morning kisses that the pair often indulged in. He paid little attention to his appearance, greying hair disheveled with deep rooted pillow lines, and a few permanent ones, embedded on his face, and took solace from the relief he found.

He had a mind to go fetch his husband, who by all means snuck off in the night like a teenager dodging curfew. He splashed cool, refreshing water on his face and gave his cheeks a little pat in hopes to work some life back into them, and headed out and down the hall.

Their office was just a few doors down from their own, in between the spare bedroom and half bath. The door was cracked, light seeped out to illuminate the hardwood, and gave way to his suspicion. Inside Merlin sat on his throne, or so Eggsy liked to call it, and typed furiously. Fingers moved at lightning speed, even at the ripe old age of seventy with arthritis that was sure to bother him tomorrow, as he worked over whatever nonsense Sebastian claimed he needed that only ‘all knowing’ Merlin could help with.

Eggsy thought it was cute, to be honest, the boy was just twenty eight years of age when Merlin snatched him from a high tech, computer science program. And at the age of thirty handed the mantle of Merlin over, of course with a few tears to spare, and looked to Merlin like a God. He knew it was both in part to indulge the old man and maintain that connection, bond, that the two had formed during Sebastian’s apprenticeship. He was shocked, to say the least, that his husband handed the reins over so quickly, and to one so young, but he’d been eyed by MI6 and Merlin snatched him up.

“It’s two in the morning,” Eggsy spoke softly. Finally calling attention to his presence, since his husband was too enamored to notice he’d even walked in, and waited, hip propped against the doorframe as Merlin continued on like he wasn’t there.

It was the usual song and dance. At least three nights a week Eggsy woke to an empty, cool bed to find Merlin here. A far cry from their younger days, where he’d spend seven nights a week in here, and at least some evenings.

“Coming to bed?” Eggsy knew the answer, of course, before he’d even asked. And just as so many times in the last two decades, Merlin raised a solidarity finger, begging for Eggsy’s patience which he had some to give, and went on.

He always allowed a little leeway before he enforced his return, or entry rather, since he never really came to bed. Eggsy had grown too tired, as of late, to wait up and call for his attendance. Another perk, an admittedly less than desirable quality, of growing older, not that it seemed to affect his husband any.

Once upon a time Eggsy would be up, happy and delighted to have Merlin beside him, no matter how many times he’d ask for the tablet to be put away. Back then it was work while in bed, and not just secluded to the home office. Though long were the days of ‘babe, put that away’ and ‘just five more minutes, mum’ to which Eggsy both hated and loved, and missed at times.

“Come on.” He came forward and around the desk to rest his hands atop Merlin’s slumped shoulders. “Gonna be hurting in the morning.” Eggsy massaged along tight, tired muscles, hoping to get a start on what he knew tomorrow would bring.

“I’m almost done,” Merlin answered. The standard response when Eggsy tried to coax him out.

If Eggsy were even ten years younger, he’d have waltzed in here naked and dared Merlin to give the computer more attention than he. He always won, though, but these days were tricky. Eggsy rarely had the oomph to bribe with sex, which would result in him doing most of the work—which he did not mind AT all—and likely more tired than he’d woke. Or he reminded Merlin of his age, arthritis and threats to see Kingsman’s MD, Hanover.

He didn’t want to try either, though, tonight and instead provided a firm, soothing massage in hopes it’d tire his husband out.

It never ceased to amaze Eggsy how alike they were, and different, after so many years. And how they grew, changed and morphed to adapt to one another’s needs. Like how Eggsy's left knee was shot, needed a good rub down after an increasingly physical mission, or how his right shoulder needed replacement if he didn’t follow PT’s suggested exercises; shotguns were a bitch on his shoulder.

Or that Merlin liked hand massages, at least four times a week, with the medicated cream he had prescribed. How Eggsy was no longer the first to wake, and likely the first to sleep, and often woke to coffee with some eggs and toast prepared for the day. Even as Merlin had grown softer in his old age, most of the rigidity of his station as Kingsman’s eyes and ears have slipped away to leave lines and creases that made him look far more attractive than Eggsy thought he’d be.

“Come on.” He yanked against his shoulders, ever so lightly, and pressed a delicate kiss against the back of his head. “Seb can deal with this tomorrow.” Further inspection confirmed it was a favor to Sebastian, and an easy one at that. Again, something to occupy his husband, and likely was requested out of sheer boredom.

Merlin’s shoulders slumped further, either from the massage, or defeat that Eggsy was a bit smarter, more observant, than he gave credit for. Years, night after night of watching Merlin code and Eggsy could tell you what would take a few hours, rather than a few days, and which could be left untouched for a bit.

“But the lad asked,” Merlin almost whimpered. He’d become a bit whiny in his old age, Eggsy found it adorable, but he kept that opinion to himself.

Eggsy chuckled lightly. “Oh, it’s so cute of you to think I believe that.” He dropped another kiss to his head. “You’re going to regret this tomorrow, babe. You always do and we have the entire day together.”

After a week-long mission Eggsy got a three day weekend and he planned to spend every last second of it with Merlin.

“But coding.” He sure as shit whimpered this time. Most times it were like reasoning with a toddler for bedtime, except it was WELL past Merlin’s. “The lad did ask, ye know.” Eggsy could hear the pout in Merlin’s brogue. It’d softened over the years, a bit more in the last five, which caused him to sound more like a child than before.

“I’m sure he did.” He rested his chin on Merlin’s head and watched him close out of the program and send an email to Sebastian with instructions to finish himself. Eggsy was proud of him. This had been easier than the last time he had to pull Merlin away, and he meant that in the literal sense.

Merlin had gotten so stubborn about it, he refused to move, and Eggsy made use of the new computer chair and wheeled him out of the room. Served him right to set a challenge like that, as if Eggsy didn’t rise to the occasion, and for the purchase of such a chair with smooth, well oiled wheels. Last one got stuck on the refinished hardwoods, even after Merlin tinkered with it for a day, and almost lit it on fire; Eggsy caught him with the lighter grenade.

He quite liked their house the way it was, thank you very much.

“Ye treat me like a child,” Merlin sulked.

Eggsy weaved an arm around the small of his back, as they headed out of the room, and said, “That’s only because you act like one who needs looking after, sometimes.”

Merlin tossed him a hard, glacial glare, hazel eyes still pierced enough to send a shiver down Eggsy’s spine; he loved it.

“Don’t be cheeky, Eggsy. It is unbecoming in your old age.” Merlin grinned despite the jab, words full of love and mirth.

“Don’t be an arse!” He gasped, giving him a lighthearted shove into their bedroom. “Go clean yourself up and come to bed.” Eggsy lifted on tiptoes to peck his cheek.

“Bossy.” Merlin leaned in for a full, deep kiss, and wandered into the en-suite to take care of business.

Eggsy turned down Merlin’s side of the bed, and crawled in on his side to situate himself for when Merlin slipped in. And when he did, Eggsy was rewarded with the same strong set of arms he’s considered home for the last two decades, scooping him into a cuddle that was so much more than a comfort now.

“Goodnight, my heart. I love ye.” He whispered against Eggsy’s ear before he placed a kiss behind it, nuzzling there. Eggsy hunkered in, positioning his bum better in Merlin’s lap, and tightened the arm around his waist better for a nice, firm spoon.

“Goodnight, babe. I love you, too.”


End file.
